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Session 14 Recap
Session 14: Tortoise Tunnels, Jerky Crows, Mother-Daughter Turtle Reunion 10xp =200xp total *The group travelled into the strange tunnel following ‘Turtle King’, accompanied by 10 (?) citizens of Willow Hill. *The Tunnel had sealed behind them and was made from cross-crossing plants and branches, including luminous vines which allowed them to see in the closed tunnel. *They learned that the tunnel was constantly opening hundreds of meters ahead of them (just outside line fo sight) and closing just as far behind them. *As the journey became hours long many of the citizens were becoming nervous, unsure of what was going to happen. Dandy convinced them that this was an adventure and therefore that ment they were all going to find valuable treasure. This lifted the groups spirits (they even chanted ‘Treasure, ‘Treasure’). *The citizens were armed with (mostly) spare weapons from the groups backpacks. *Since none of the characters had slept in the last 24 hours checks were made for fatigue, and Dandy (still atop of TK) nodded off for a short while. *After 4-5 hours of travel the tunnel started showing signs of corruption, with dead leaves and darker phosphorus vines. Twisted branches occasionaly blocked the way (TK was reluctant to pass them) until Arik would hack them apart. *They spotted a leg poking down through the roof of the tunnel and investigated. It turned out to be an undead leg, attached to a very old zombie. The zombie was plucked out of the room and set apon by a mob of scared citizens. *Checking the zombie they found an unusual uniform (sigil of an unidentified animal and building) and 4 silver coins, bearing the likeness of unrecognised royalty and a tower. *Some samples of the twisted vines and zombie corpses were kept for later examination. *Further travel produced more zombies and the tunnel started to drip with unclean water. The zombies were delt with easily. *Not long after clearing the ‘dark area’ of the tunnel the tunnel starts to angle upward and they find themselves coming out of the tunnel and into an unknown heavy woodlands. *Arik scales a tree to get their bearings and see’s they are in a large forrest, with a river winding through it, hills to the north and south and a ‘dark grove’ in the east (which seems to line up with the dark patch in their travels). *TK continues to travell West and the travellers stay with it. Trees seem to simply allow TK to pass, even if it shouldn’t fit. After a while they begin to notice dozens and then possibly hundreds of Crows watching them from the trees. *Dandy offers the birds jerky (which they accept gladly), and a figure appears in a flurry of black feathers and wings. The figure is a gnome dressed in a cloak of crow feathers and she introduces herself as ‘Hippa’. *Hippa seems to know TK (and the Tortoise is happy to see her) and indicates she has been awaiting the Tortoises return. She offers to guide them to ‘ The Grove’ to meet ‘TK’s Mother’ - to the shock and awe of the group as they realise TK is not a fully grown giant tortoise. *They cross the river and enter the grove. It’s a large clearing with a gigantic tree at it center, growing from a small hill. In between the tree and the hill is the ‘mother’. She seems to be growing into the hill and tree, as the line between each is hard to distinguish. She’s massive, 3 times the size of TK. She has a white opalesk shell and the marks and wrinkles of advanced age. She also has some recent scars on her face and shell. *Also in the grove, at it’s far edge, is heap containing several dead humanoids and weapons. One of the bodies seemed to have scaled skin. Gar seemed transfixed by the bodies, and instead of advancing towards the turtle mother Gar walked, trance-like, to the heap. *The bodies were 2 humans and an orc, with 2 Dragon-like humanoids. They are identified as Dragon Hybrids (A race created as dragon servants in the 3rd darkness). They are all dead and still wearing armor and carrying weapons. *The Humans belong to a mercenary company famous for working for *anyone* with coin. The owner of this company is rumored to be the brother of Earl Castigan. *Hippa explains the grove came under attack about 2 weeks before, most of the group retreated but her ‘scouts’ have still seen them about the forest. *The Turtle King (Who now turns out is a/ female b/ a tortoise c/ not a king) reunites with it’s bother and the mother speaks to the group via Hippa. *She knows who Dandy is and knows her father (affectionalty), She want’s to help Dandy find him. *The mother (‘Kurama’) is an ancient creature of the woods (a ‘living spirit’), she is coming to the end of her life cycle and is choosing to disperse the last of her life-force in the Tanglewood (where they are), to cleanse it of it’s darkness (which it has several of). However she is stuck part way through this process, blocked by an active evil force that they suspect has something to do with the Hybrids. *After meeting with Kurama Arik and Hippa perform a joint spell to have the woodlands properly ‘reclaim’ the bodies. Arik, using a new conjuring ability he has mastered, summons worms to do the work even more quickly. *Night comes and the druid provides some shelter (magic acorn/teepees), for those who want it- although many sleep in the comfort of the groves open air (it is warm, tranquil and comfortable).